Mobile City Council - Live updates; One week after walkout

This was the scene at Government Plaza last Tuesday after the Mobile City Council conducted its weekly meeting after Mayor Sandy Stimpson's administration left the meeting. What will happen this week? Follow along to live updates as they happen. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

The walkout occurred after three council members -- Fred Richardson, C.J. Small and Levon Manzie -- abstained on voting for three items (two appointments and an $1,800 purchase of new decorative sign posts in Council President Gina Gregory's district).

Jones' name isn't on the agenda this week for reconsideration. That will be the big issue on the council's agenda next week. This week's agenda looks more business-like with no appointments on it. But time will tell what surfaces for debate.

Follow along to live updates as they happen:

Adjourned without issues today. More later www.al.com/mobile.

11:17 a.m. - Councilman Levon Manzie was in Los Angeles for a convention of young elected officials. Manzie is the state director of the organization.

11:12 a.m. - It's a jovial council today. Richardson grilled Alexandris, whose company in Chattanooga (home of the Moon Pie) about Mobile's Moon Pie Over Mobile event on New Year's Eve. Alexandris said he will bring his family on down to the event.

11:08 a.m. - The council is even in unanimous voting mode in voting things down. The council voted down a certificate of public convenience and necessity to Steven Bolduc (ACABMAN) for a taxicab service in Mobile. Bolduc doesn't have an office or any property in Mobile, which is a requirement for operating a taxi cab service.

11:05 a.m. - So far, so good. Unanimous approvals from the council on otherwise non-controversial issues.

11:03 a.m. - Ronal Ali with the local NAACP chapter spoke some about last week's meeting and closed by saying, "Mobilians want freedom to ring from downtown. When freedom rings from downtown, truly we will have One Mobile."

10:49 a.m. - Stimpson read an email the administration sent to the council last month indicating that he has blocked off a 1-3 p.m. time every Tuesday to meet with council members. He said that communication is important.

10:46 a.m. - Stimpson is back at the council meeting giving his weekly update. He is talking about all of the activity that went on in downtown Mobile over the weekend and the need to utilize Cooper Riverside Park for more events.

9:53 a.m. - Barber discussed the spice epidemic and how its gotten to be more violent in recent weeks. Barber said he plans on introducing some ordinances to the Mobile City Council in the coming two weeks related to spice.

9:52 a.m. - Richardson told me that he met with Stimpson for lunch at The Royal Scam. The two discussed how to move Mobile forward together. Richardson said he told the mayor he's fine with that as long as his appointments go through.

9:36 a.m. - The mayor and Richardson had a meeting yesterday, and we'll have more on that later.

9:33 a.m. - Chief James Barber said there has been an uptick in crime, mostly associated with the rise in spice and some of the violence that goes with it.

9:27 a.m. - The McGowin Park shopping center is 30 days away from construction. A groundbreaking should take place within the month.

9:22 a.m. - The council appears to be in approval of a $18,000 land purchase for a vacant lot on Eslava Creek so the city can have access for putting in a litter trap.

9:16 a.m. - A $60,000 contract with Newman's Ambulance Service for deceased body transport was not the lowest bid. However, the lowest bid, according to Police Chief James Barber, came from someone who didn't have a vehicle.

9:07 a.m. - Councilman C.J. Small is absent. He's on jury duty. Council President Gina Gregory is not at the pre-conference meeting, so that means Fred Richardson is in charge of this meeting. Gregory will be at the 10:30 a.m. meeting.